Wow, that sure flew by. Except for the volleyball team continuing its solid season as it begins state playoffs this week, the fall sports season for all Central Mountain sports athletes and teams is history.While it was not one for the ages overall, there most assuredly were some good moments and performances from several athletes and teams. Let’s recap the final week of the season as well as the fall season overall.

Grace Keohane and Damien Winner completed their solid seasons on Saturday as they participated in the PIAA Cross Country Championships at Hershey. Keohane, who was competing for the second straight season, ran a better time than a year ago to finish in 102nd place. That finish was 38 spots better than last year. Winner also ran a solid race on Saturday, finishing with a time of 17:37 to take 146th overall. Both runners will have an opportunity to return to Hershey next season as well.

Addison Lindsay was also in Hershey on Friday and Saturday. attempting to win a PIAA Class AAA singles title. After finishing as the state runner-up last season, Lindsay won two matches on Friday and two more on Saturday to win the crown, becoming CM’s first ever girl’s tennis state champion.

Coach Tom Zettle, who was understandably proud of his sophomore champion, said of her and the accomplishment, “Addison is a perfect example of setting a goal and then doing the work required to attain said goals. No one I know works harder than she does. She stayed strong and focused throughout the state tournament. I can’t come up with enough superlatives to convey just how good she is, so I will make up my own……fantabulistical.”

Zettle also credited Addison’s father for the vast majority of her training. Just a sophomore, she will have two additional chances to return and collect more hardware.

The volleyball team continued their impressive season by winning a District 6 Class AAAA Championship with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Hollidaysburg at Bald Eagle Area on Wednesday. After splitting the first four sets of the match, the Lady Wildcats captured the tie-breaking fifth set by a 15-8 score to capture the exciting victory and the first volleyball championship in Central Mountain history. The Wildcats had advanced to the championship contest with a 3-0 defeat of Bellefonte in the semifinals at home on Monday. Coach Chipp McCann’s squad will now hit the road to take on the district 7 champion, Mars at Mars High School.

Now, for the promised fall season recognitions.

Team of the Fall: The boys’ soccer team was extremely competitive over the course of the fall as they competed against a schedule that was fierce. The tenacity and toughness that they showed throughout the season is commendable. Coach Billy Hook is establishing tenacity within the Wildcat program. The growth of the cross-country program both in participation numbers and performance is also worthy of note. Coach Scott Bair continues to see his program move in the right direction. The future of that program is very bright as numerous solid performers from this season will return in 2025. But so too will some of the developing runners that have been competing as a part of a growing middle school program under Bair’s leadership. While those two teams were considered, the choice for this year’s CM team of the fall goes to the Lady Wildcat volleyball team. This team was solid if not dominate throughout the season and adding at least a district championship makes this choice an easy one. While being competitive over the last few seasons, the program finally took that next step this season under Coach McCann’s leadership as they won their first district crown. How far can they go? We shall see.

Athlete of the Fall: The runners, Keohane and Winner, led their teams in each meet throughout the season and seemingly got stronger as the season progressed. Reese Walizer, a two-sport athlete, was a D6 runner-up in golf and a key member of the Lady Wildcat Volleyball team and had a very solid fall season overall. Impressive too were the performances throughout the season of soccer player Lincoln Breon, who was a difference maker for the Wildcats, and volleyballer Gabby Beaubrun, who consistently attacked the net with a vengeance, leading the Lady Wildcats in kills with 148 thus far. The choice though is PIAA tennis champion, Addison Lindsay. Yeah, it’s not every day that state championships are earned by CM athletes. We recognize that, and Addison’s performance was nothing short of dominate this season.

Coach of the Year: Seriously, you thought I’d select one? As a coach myself and a colleague of all the CM coaches, I will refrain despite just knowing that you’d love me to do so. I understand how hard each of the coaches work to produce the best products possible from the materials that they have to work with. Some do it a little better than others, but the vast majority are doing all they can for their athletes and teams and for that I say, job well done. My advice to them, take a little time to reflect upon the season, set up a plan for moving forward and work hard to ensure that your team reaches greater heights in 2025. A huge thank you goes out to the those who took the time throughout the fall season to read this column. I will not be writing the winter reviews as it is more likely that my athletes and I will be the ones to be written about. I will now turn my efforts fully to coaching CM girls basketball throughout the winter. I will check back with you in the spring. Until then, check out some Wildcat and Lady Wildcat basketball, wrestling, swimming and bocce. Stay warm and safe during hibernation.